Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1887-06-24
The Famous TOlliver Gang of Out
laws Broken Up After a
Bloody Battle.
The Desperadoes Take Refuge in q
Hotel and Defy the Sher-
ifs Posse.
Most Of the Gang Killed and the Re.
malnder Captured by a Small
Army of Men.
End of an Old Grudge.

was CnlS morning enacted what Will, be-
yond all doubt, prove the final chapter in
the blOodiest mountain vendetta known in
the history of the state. The elimination
was reached in the tragic end of four des-
perate men who forfeited their lives while
resisting the mandates of the law after the
destruction of thousands of dollars worth
of property, and up to this morning, the
loss of twenty-one lives. In August, 1884,
after heated contest, Cook Humphreys
was elected sheriff of Rowan county by
forty-seven majority over Samuel Good
win. During the canvass many animosi-
ties were engendered, the Martins allying
themselves with Humphreys and the Tol-
livers with Goodwin. Craig Tolliver, the
factions leader, swore after election that
Humphrey should never ride Rowan
county as sheriff. Since that date life
after life has been offered on the altar of
hatred and bad blood with increasing fire.
quency, despite the best efforts of the
judiciary and the militia. The names of
the victims and the order killed are as
follows:
Solomon Bradley.
John Martin.
White Pelfrey.
B. Candelle.
Deputy Sheriff Baumgarden.
Mason Kelong.
John NARROW.
John Davis.
Willie Tolliver.
A railroad employe named Witcher.
William Logan.
Ben Rayburn.
John Day.
Floyd Tolliver and a party whose name
is not remembered.
John B. Logan.
W.. Logan.
To-day Craig Toliver, Bud Toliver, Jay
Tolliver and Hiram Cooper were killed.
A special to the Courier-Journal from
Lexington, KY, gives the particulars as
follows:
Craig Tolliver is killed and his gang dis
membered forever. News comes by Lex
ington minister and others who came
peake & Ohio from Norfolk, Va. Atabout
$50 this morning, when this train was
within four miles of MOrehead, it was
tagged by some citizens, and when it came
to a stop they informed the conductor that
bloody battle was going on in MOreh cad
between the sheritf's posse and the Tolliver
gang and it would not be safe for the train
to proceed until hostilities ceased. The
passengers and trainmen were all very
much frightened and at their solicitation
the conductor ran the train to MOrden's
switch, two and half miles east of More
head. They remained there till IL o'clock.
when they were notified that the fighting
was over and that the train might proceed:
The train stopped some time at Morehead
and there the passengers learned the par
ticulars of the battle which appeared to be
about as follows:
Sheriff Hogg has been for about week
quietly organizing q very large posse OF
determined men in the upper part OF Row
the purpose of arresting Craig Tolliver and
all the parties implicated in the murder of
the Logan boys some two weeks ago. The
TOllivers had received intimatiOns of this,
but they were 50 vague that they supposed
the party would be regulators instead of
sherif's posse. Tolliver and his party,
consisting of about ten men, were quietly
vigilant, and went heavily armed to meet
every east bound train at the depot to
| search for suspicious characters. Sheriff
Hogg equipped his party with Winchester
rifles. Sheriff Hogg's band, numbering
pfODaDiy ZUU, appeared Suuucnly d. MOTE
head about8 o'clock this forenoon. A re-
serve was first established around the en-
tire town in the brush where the men
! could not be seen. The sheriff then en-
tered the town at the head of about 100
men. Craig Tolliver and his ten follow
ers Immediately retreated to the Cottage
hotel, which they had previously barri-
caded. Sheriff Hogg notified Tolliver that
he had warrants for the arrest of all
the men implicated in the killing of the
Logans, and asked that they all submit.
peaceably. TOlliver's reply was that
neither he nor his men would be arrested
and that hundred men could not take
them. His party then opened fire on the
sheriff's posse, and the fighting was kept
up probably for two hours. The only cas-
ualty for the time was flesh wound re-
ceived by one Of the sheriff's posse. The
attacking party, however, were gradually
drawing the lines closer around Tolli-
ver's fortification and the besieged party
| finally concluded to make a rush for
liberty. AS they made the rush they were
met by tremendous yOlley, which Lilied
Craig TOlliver. Budd Tolliver, Jay T0lliyer
and Hiram Cooper. Craig TOlliver seems
to have been the general target, as he was
80 thoroughly riddied as to be scarcely
recognizable. The others of the gang got
through safely, but as they approached the
bush they were met by a volley from the
outside reserve. This v0iley wounded
Cate Tolliyer, q i2-year-old boy, and three